Introduction to Shingles

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a very painful skin rash or blisters on an area of the skin. This viral disease is very common in adults especially those who have weak immune systems because of having stress, injury and taking various medications. This skin disease is caused by Varicella-zoster virus or what we call the zoster virus, the same virus which is also the main cause of chickenpox. Usually, when a child heals from chickenpox, when he or she reaches adulthood, the virus might still remain in his or her body and lies inactive, and then, it will become active again and here comes the Shingles.

Can Shingles be internal and have no rash?

Yes, and this will be called as Internal shingles. It may also involve rashes inside the mouth or ear. Eyes, brain, muscle and nerve problems are the main organs involved in this.

Internal Shingles

This attacks the nerves in the body and may also not involve rashes and blisters. It is very rare. The very common symptoms are flu-like symptoms (flu that often occurs without fever), pain and movement problems. Other symptoms are sensitivity to light, diarrhea, headaches and stomach aches. Some of the symptoms of internal shingles can be very dangerous and can cause severe complications to the body. This disease is not life-threatening as long as you have performed an early diagnosis that is measured at the right time. You can control this easily and will prevent further spread of the infection.

Diagnosis, Signs and Symptoms

Flu-like symptoms but no fever

Sensitivity to light

Headaches

Chills

Diarrhea

Stomach aches

Numbness

Movement problems

Pain

Burning or tickling sensations where the rashes will appear

The prevalent ones:

Oral pain where blisters or lesions are inside your mouth and the pain will affect your eating.

Lymph node swelling happens when your body’s immune system is resisting the virus. It is found in the groin area, underneath the arms or side of the neck.

Encephalitis – occurs because Shingles attacks the nerves of (also others that are connected) the brain which will result into swelling and inflammation of the brain. If you are experiencing this symptom, visit a doctor immediately because this might lead into a life threatening condition.

Tests to identify the Shingles virus

If the symptoms are not obvious in some patients especially the immunosuppressed ones, to detect Shingles, physicians will perform one or more tests. Also, the tests will usually aim to distinguish herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus.

The tests that they do are: Immunofluorescence Assay, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Virus Culture.

Immunofluorescence Assay is performed by using UV rays applied to cells taken from the zoster blisters. Presence of antibodies can be identified depending on the specific characteristics of light seen through a microscope. It is thought to be cheaper, faster and more accurate than performing a virus culture.

Virus Culture – taking specimens from the blisters, spinal fluid or fluid inside the blisters. For vaccinated patients, this is useful to determine if the internal shingles infection was caused by a natural virus or by the vaccine that they had taken before.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is performed to identify the infection in the central nervous system (brain and nerves). It replicates a piece of the DNA of the virus up to millions of times until the virus can be detected.

Facial nerve paralysis (facial palsy) and having a rash on mouth or the ear.

Also, it may be accompanied by other frequent signs and symptoms such as hearing loss, facial weakness or face drop, nausea, tinnitus, nystagmus (oscillation of the eyes) and vertigo (type of dizziness).

Hutchinson’s Sign

Vesicles on the tip of the nose, or vesicles on the side of the nose are involved from facial herpes zoster - ophthalmic herpes zoster

Skin - Melanonychia, Periungual hyperpigmentation.

Neurological problems

Balance problems, hearing problems, facial paralysis or inflammation. These conditions can be very dangerous and can result to coma or death.

Loss of Vision (Ocular or Optical Shingles)

Lack of sensation in the eye, pain, redness, swollen eyelids, blurry vision, discharge from the eyes, and temporary or permanent blindness.

Other internal organs

Blisters to affect internal organs including lungs, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and the brain. Pneumonia and other breathing problems can occur if the lungs become affected.

Postherpetic neuralgia

Postherpetic neuralgia is a persistent nerve pain that occurs to some patients within 2-4 weeks after healing from Shingles or often referred to as post-shingles pain.

If you are still experiencing pain after your shingles rashes are cleared up, you might have caught this.

After healing from Shingles, the zoster virus still remains in the patient’s body. It invades the bloodstream and damages the nerve fibers thus, become confused resulting in sending uncontrolled and inaccurate signals to the brain which causes burning and throbbing nerve pain.

As of the present, nobody knows why some patients are experiencing this and why some are not.

Symptoms

Aside from the mentioned burning and throbbing nerve pain, symptoms include extreme sensitivity to light touch and temperature change, numbness, itching, headaches and sudden or occasional pain. Worse, the affected person might experience muscle weakness or become paralyzed due to uncontrolled muscle movements.

Patients will experience sleeping problems and fatigue. Postherpetic neuralgia lasts in one month or if severe, may last up to one year.

Image from Flickr

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

Also caused by varicella zoster virus, RHS is known as auricular herpes zoster or herpes zoster oticus when referring only to the ear rash. It is a rare neurological disorder and can be characterized by facial nerve paralysis (facial palsy) and having a rash on mouth or the ear. Same with postherpetic neuralgia, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome occurs when the previously zoster virus becomes active again and spreads to the facial nerve.

There is often pain in the ear. Also, it may be accompanied by other frequent signs and symptoms such as hearing loss, facial weakness or face drop, nausea, tinnitus, nystagmus (oscillation of the eyes) and vertigo (type of dizziness).

Sometimes, people find it difficult to distinguish Ramsay Hunt Syndrome from Bell’s palsy in early stages but in general, RHS tends to be more serious and severe than Bell’s palsy. Also, RHS has rashes/blisters while Bell’s palsy don’t. Not all cases of RHS has rashes but it can be still RHS as long as it was caused by zoster virus.

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Diagnosis

To tell easier and accurately if you really have a Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, your physician will.do one or more of the flowing:

Physical Examination

The doctor will observe you especially your face and ear to know if the symptoms are present.

Hearing Test

Tested through tuning forks or audiometry (wearing earphones in usually a soundproof booth / room)

It involves caloric testing and tracking a moving object or field to be able to determine the degree of vestibular impairment.

Fluorescein Eye Strain

Used to detect cornea damage and the outer surface of the eye by using orange dye (fluorescin) and a blue light.

Electromyography

A nerve conduction test using contact pads or fine-scale conductive probes to determine facial nerve damage and its potential for recovery.

Lumbar Puncture

When diagnosis is not clear, in rare cases, a spinal tap is used. After numbing with an anesthetic, from the spinal column, a cerebral fluid is taken by using a spinal needle to test it for evidence of zoster virus.

If for vesicles on the tip of the nose, or vesicles on the side of the nose are involved from facial herpes zoster, it precedes the development of ophthalmic herpes zoster thus, implies the involvement of the nasal branch of the nasociliary nerve that raises the specter of involvement of the eye.

If for the skin, it involves the pigmentation of the proximal nail fold which is also known Melanonychia. It also suggests subungual melanoma when there is pigmentation in the paronychial area or known as Periungual hyperpigmentation.

Neurological problems

Balance problems, hearing problems, facial paralysis or inflammation might be experienced after suffering from a shingles outbreak and may permanently damage the nerves.

These conditions can be very dangerous and can result to coma or death. No worries, these are rare but being prepared will be better.

Loss of Vision

Optical shingles or Ocular shingles is crucial and includes any of these symptoms such as lack of sensation in the eye, pain, redness, swollen eyelids, blurry vision, discharge from the eyes, and temporary or permanent blindness.

Its complications include cataract, glaucoma, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), uveitis (inflammation of uvea/middle layer of the eye) and other corneal problems.

If you are experiencing these (even the minor ones), do not self-medicate and you must seek a doctor’s help immediately.

Other internal organs

It is possible for the virus especially the blisters to affect internal organs including lungs, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and the brain. Pneumonia and other breathing problems can occur if the lungs become affected.

Internal Shingles Treatment

Drugs, treatments, home remedies and vaccines

For you not to be surprised, the frequently advised drugs by the doctors are opioid painkillers, anticonvulsants, capsaicin skin patches, lidocaine skin patches, antidepressants and steroids. For treatments, these are TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), and Spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulation.

Aside from capsaicin skin patches, you can avail, capsaicin cream.

If you are in your home and are not planning to buy prescribed medications yet, go for topical analgesics and anesthetics to reduce skin oversensitivity by mixing aspirin into an absorbing cream or lidocaine cream.

Antiviral drugs like Acyclovir, Famciclovir or Valacyclovir can be taken to restrict the virus from replicating. Normally, it will take 2-5 weeks for internal shingles’ symptoms to be fully resolved. The ones who might show severe symptoms of it are the elders and children.

Ice pack or heat treatment application is temporarily effective in reducing pain. Doing this can help the patients to reduce their urge to scratch their skin.

Internal Shingles pain relief

The pain of shingles especially the internal one is unbearable in its severity. All patients with shingles are given medications that can minimize pain. The pain of herpes zoster affects not only your sleep, mood or work, but also, your quality of life. This often leads to fatigue, loss of appetite and feeling of depression. If you have:

Medicines for Internal Shingles pain

Internal Shingles pain severity

Medicines

Mild pain

Opioids such as Morphine, Tramadol and Fentanyl.

Severe pain

Darvon, Codeine, or one of the Codeine derivatives such as Vicodin or Percodan.

In order to control shingles pain further, you should take advice from an experienced doctor in homeopathy so he or she can examine your pain and then will prescribe a treatment for it.

Is it contagious?

Some people think that shingles is caused by a virus and viruses are contagious but, it is not a contagious disease though it is caused by the same virus which is responsible for Chickenpox. We can say, Shingles is a second outbreak of the chickenpox virus in the body but it cannot cause other forms of herpes. However, shingles contains infectious VZV and people who have not had chickenpox before can develop easily this virus from daily interaction to patients with Shingles. Shingles can only be spread by direct contact to lesions of the patients. Otherwise, you have minimum chance to develop an infection. For the patients, they can still go outside and perform normal activities like daily work or going to school as long as they prevent spreading the disease by good hygiene and covering their lesions properly.

Shingles in general

Who gets it?

Generally, it is happened in adults especially from ages 50-60 but it does not mean that young people would not be affected.

Aside from aging and weak immune system, medications, stress, various treatments particularly cancer and, if their mothers have shingles during their late pregnancy or had a chickenpox themselves (affected adults) during childhood can also be causes of Shingles. The main cause for this awful and alarming disease is the Vacirella-zoster virus. This virus belongs to a group of viruses called herpesviruses and it hides in the nervous system after the occurrence of initial infection and travels down to the nerve cell fibers to cause a renewed infection.

Difference between Herpes Simplex and Herpes Zoster

Both of these are herpes viruses but different in class and type.

Herpes Zoster or Varicella Zoster-Virus, causes skin rashes or blisters, and is the main culprit for chickenpox and shingles, while Herpes Simplex causes small painful fluid-filled blisters on the eyes, mouth (cold sores), lips and genitals.

Is Herpes Simplex contagious?

HS is more contagious than HZ since anyone has a higher chance of getting the disease just by having direct contact with sores or even on affected areas without sores. Also, Herpes Simplex’s tests such as biopsy of a sore, blood tests, etc. must be conducted to recognize the sores.

Medications for Shingles

Drugs

Since you have learned above about medicines to treat internal shingles, just take these and the treatments below that can treat shingles blisters, rashes or shingles in general.

To relieve itching and keeping your skin hydrated, unscented lotions especially calamine lotion, moisturizing creams, honey or petroleum jelly are perfect. Using scented moisturizers are not recommended because these may cause irritation and allergies.

For those who want to get a vaccination, Zostavax is recommended.

Home or Natural Remedies

For the blisters to dry faster, Domeboro solution or a cornstarch paste can be applied. Ready-made oatmeal bath mixes can be bought at drugstores or pharmacies to soak your skin and have a clean, soothing, relaxing and calming experience.

Licorice and other plan extracts can soothe skin inflammation while lemon balm counters herpes viruses and aids in healing rashes or cold sores.

Eating, drinking or applying vitamin E supplements is good for healing skin problems and nerve damages. B-complex can strengthen the nervous system which can also reduce nerve pain. Vitamins A and D increase the production of macrophages and killer T-cells, and can fortify the affected person’s immunity system.

Eating a spoonful of flaxseed powder 2x a day, garlic juices or turmeric paste can speed up the healing process because of having antiseptic properties.

Conclusion

To sum these up, we may say that internal shingles can become dangerous, contagious and later on, become deadly if not treated. It must be given more attention so doctors can diagnose the symptoms and can give the patient proper medicines and treatments immediately. Shingles, internal or external, has been caused by the virus Varicella-Zoster virus, also known as, Herpes Zoster. Shingles can happen to people especially to those who already healed from chickenpox but have weak immune systems. It can occur due to the reactivation of this virus inside the body. Generally, it can cause skin rash or blisters. In some cases, it can cause a severe systemic infection, affecting internal organs of the body and the central nervous system. Doctors often prescribe antiviral medications such as Acyclovir (Zovirax®), Valacyclovir (Valtrex®), and Famciclovir (Famvir®) for its treatment. In most cases, it has been advised that antiviral drugs should be taken within 3 days or 72 hours from the time of the first sign of shingles. To endure pain, doctors may suggest antidepressants. Healthy diet or breathing exercises at home, taking regular meditation, yoga, or tai chi classes will help patients to deal with it. Having a strong immune system and avoiding processed and artificial foods as possible are the simplest methods to prevent having this.

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70 thoughts on “Internal Shingles”

I have time size blood red spots appearing on my left leg that burns and has.tiny blisters,,on my right leg which has been hurting for days now have small red bumps that burn,there is over ten bumps on that leg,could it be shingles?Can my Mother get them from me.

Old post. But, yes, the shingles virus can be passed on if you are in the infectious stage. Those that have not had chickenpox will possibly get chickenpox and those with immune systems that have been compromised can potentially get shingles. It is a virus and is spread like all viruses. You can get shingles more than once. The shingles vaccine is available for those over 50. It is recommended to get the vaccine even if you’ve had shingles.

For 5 months now I have had severe sharp pain in my lower abdomen and pelvis. I’ve had a complete exam and pelvic sonar by my GYN. All was fine. She sent me to a gastro Dr. So did s colonoscopy and removed a few polyps, as well as a CAT scan of my abdomen & pelvis with contrast. All was normal. They sent me to an ortho Dr. Thing it was possibly musculoskeletal. He did MRIs of my T & L spine. All negative. Now try want me to see a surgeon in case it’s possibly a meseteric or vascular problem. My first thought it might be my bladder mesh I had done a few years ago for SUI. My GYN says no. Then my sister/in-law said internal shingles. I didn’t know there was such a thing. But after googling it I discovered there was. I have muscular mid back pain under both shoulder blades too. And lately I’ve had ringing in my ears. However, I’ve not had any rashes or blisters. I’m in pain. I need help. I need to find out what’s wrong. I’ve lived in this body for 60 years and I know something is wrong. You can’t hurt this bad for this long for no reason. Please help me. Is it possible its internal shingles. I’m miserable.

Martha….I too have been through the ringer since July of 2015. 7 months of a chronic internal pain somewhere between my lungs and my diaphragm. I have an CTs of chest, abdomen, brain and had endoscopy, bronchoscopy, colonoscopy. Everything always comes up normal. My doctor said “I don’t know what to tell you” about the pain. I’ve reached out to make at appointment at the Mayo Clinic. But last night, a nurse friend of mine on Facebook said “internal shingles.” After reading the symptoms, I’ve had virtually all of them (flu-like, balance problems, blurred vision, yada yada). I’m wondering if this is it!!! Going to try some of the recommended vitamins to take to see if that will help- at least until I get an appointment at the Mayo Clinic. Best of luck to you. It’s really frustrating, scary, and consumes one’s mind when you have that chronic pain that you KNOW is there and not made up and you can’t get any answers. Ugh. Prayers.

My life revolves around my debilitating abdominal pain that doctors don’t seem to be able to diagnose. I’ve had tests and a repeat CScan soon. A nurse told me that my symptoms sound like INTERNAL SHINGLES. I’ve been dealing with this for over a year! It’s getting worse. Can anyone help me, please.

I too have internal shingles,going on 3 weeks,saw Dr. 3 days ago,He prescribed me Acyclovir 3 times daily,50 mg. Lyrica {cannot take ,causes severe headache} He prescribed me Lydocaine cream for itching, burning,stinging ect…. not much help,cant sleep.I also have R.A. and take norco and 0.5 xanax,at bedtime.this does help some.I found a cheap analgesic gel,blue in color,cost $1.00 a jar at pharmacy,this has helped with all the pain,itching,all that stuff more than anything.Taking the Acyclovir has made a definite difference in my all over well being just in 3 days. Still no rash or blisters.The blue analgesic rub and ibupropen has definetlyhelped with the pains and all.Iuse the rub 2 times aday.Most of all I do alot of asking Jesus to help me through this,I know He does,He helped me through cancer.You will be in my prayers Christie.

I guess I have internal shingles, which I never heard of before. Is this possible because I have not had the blister? I can barely lay my head on a pillow. Dr has me on 800 mg of Acyclovir. And Gabapentin for pain.

Hi Martha,
I hear you. I as well. I get to thinking that I am just imaging this. I’m not the pain is so bad just to have a sheet across my skin when I lay down kills me. I feel so bruised inside. I have no blisters, sores, etc. I have been to the hosp. two times had 2 CAT SCANS one with out contrast one with. Nothing. Mine started in Dec. I fell broke my foot. But it was 34yrs ago I had kidney surgery the urther tube they put a stent in and the dr. told me back then max 20 yrs and would have to replace it. It felt like my kidneys so I thought well the stent has come out and here we go again because not just the left kidney which this is the kidney I had the surgery on, but the scar is 6 ” from my bellybutton all the round around left side to approx 6-8 ” from my spine. Back 34 yrs ago they had to cut you in half I call it. But the scar is hurting, my C/Sections scars hurt, then it started down the left front flank, then my groin, I have had test after test, Hosp said that my L 1, L 2, L 3, need attention to which I go to a back dr. to get injections as I have 3 areas of my back that I need surgery but I prefer to try and put off as long as I can. Anyway we did an epidural oh that was good the first 20 min I WAS PAIN FREE but after that the pain came full force. During this time my husband went into the hospital due to a fall he fell and broke his nose but while there in the hospital I don’t know what happen the Medical exm. is still trying to figure this out the hospital is hidden some thing. My husband passed Feb 5. I want to know why so while he was in the hosp. I went every day for almost 4 wks to see him it was so hard due to the pain. My husband knew of my pain he had hugged me that morn and said we have to find a Dr. that can get you help and find out what this is. So it’s not from the stress of my husband death. Sure I started hurting a little after the fall, the fall was in Oct 2015.

So where do I go from here. After 2 visits to the hospital, test- blood, Kidney dr. sent my urine off for test, blood all good, epidural, I have not gotten better and Dr’s can’t find, tell me anything. Nor do Dr.’s really seem to care anymore. I too am older I’m 59. so when we reach a certain age it’s like oh don’t worry with them. This is what I have exp. in FT. Worth TX anyway.

The pain is moving, feels as if what ever is going on is spreading, I have started the hurting in up under left rib cage, upper back, headaches, sick to stomach, had fever 2 days this last week, I get numbness in my legs, feet if I sit up, balance is touch, light bother’s me, but this is normal, to try and urinate just kills me feels like my kidney’s are about to come out. Then the pelvic is hurts I am so sore in all areas, Itching is so bad I asked my dr. about this and he said itching comes right before the pain is about to attack the nerves in my back, see my spinal cord is getting pinched by the L 1 and L 2 which is about where my bra snaps, yet the pain is all in lower part of my body. I have known this for yrs. I will do back surgery but I can’t till they figure out what is going on here. So all my pain, in kidney area left side, left scar from surgery, left front flank, groin, pelvic, itching to the point I cant put lotion on it burns, have burning sensation, numbness, headaches on/off, focus my eyes is tough, fever, cramps in legs, feet, pain can be a stabbing, needle feeling, such pain you just can sit, lay, stand nothing helps, but the part that I can’t stand anything on me, just to move I feel that I have been in a bad wreck, beaten up so bruised. I have no rash’s at all on the outside, I don’t even know what is wrong with me except I feel it moving across the front part of my stomach, pelvic, etc. just to move my leg it kills you with pain.

If you have any thing that u might know let me know I hear you. I feel relieved that I’m not crazy although please don’t take me wrong I would not wish this for you or anyone as this is worse than labor. I can’t even drive if I hit a bump in the road it hurts. So know this your not alone. I have thought what if the dr.s have missed something and I have cancer and it’s spreading. U know how we let our minds get away from us but I am not alone I am sorry your going through this but know this your not alone either. Please share with me if you would please. There has to be a support group some where to help us. They the Dr. have to give us some direction I am getting nothing as the Hospital told me the last time I was there we are not doing the test again I said I didn’t ask you too. The CAT SCANS but blood can change. Please share with me. Is there anyway to talk private with out haven to put you name, phone email out there.? I just want some help. My husband just passed Feb 5, 2016 I haven’t been well enough to have the Celebration of Life for him yet. People think I am wrong but there were other problems as well the Medical examiner didn’t have a cause of death till a wk ago yest. so this isn’t a normal death and in order to have closer I needed to know how, why he died. Now I have it but I am in such pain I can’t get out of the house. My kids or my mother brings me food, I am at the point of pulling my hair out. To get a normal sleep well that won’t happen till this is over. I have to sleep an hour at a time when I can. Help us God we need the Dr’s that you have given the knowledge to help us make them use it. Even if we cant be other’s support know this I am here and your not alone. We are not crazy. my pain is very real. TY for listing. Anyone have any advise please share. PJ

I have all the same symptoms. Is in pain since January. It is unbareable so I went and consult a Homopathic dr. So far my treatment was injections between the ribs. The oral meds I will get on friday. So I suggest u go and see a homopath. My drs also could not find out what was wrong with me. Hope you will feel better soon. Stien

It sounds like internal shingles. I am going through it now. Get some olive leaf extract. It will disslove the covering on the virus, so that the immune system can get at it.
I am so sorry about your husband.
Call me, if you want: Kathryn at
Eight, four, five, two, three, eight,
seven, five, zero, zero…..I have been in natural medicine for 30 years. The reason your scars hurt is because they represent a facilitated nerve pathway…..

kathryn a friend of mine is suffering and do mean suffering with bouts of internal shingles, would not be sure from his intense pain but last time he had a small amount of rash with it. He has been misdiagnosed at least 4 times. he has taken full 30 day 3 time a day antivirul which cleared it up for couple of weeks and is now back with vengence. Went to er again last night, a different one and again nothing. i am going to have him start taking vit c, e, and b complex, have secured more antivirul meds. Is there anything else besides the olive leaf extract that possibly will help him. Thank you

Omg I can’t believe your story and my heart goes out to you. I wish I read this sooner. First of all 59 is not old! I am so sorry to hear about your husband. As for you have you tried any drugs for shingles? Have you had the shingles shot? You can email me at dfortkiewicz@aol.com

One can only have Shingles on one side of the body, at a time, because your nerves do not cross over your spine. I had the shingles vaccine over a year ago, and I was told then, i could get them, if I had chicken pox, and I did as a baby. Between Christmas and New Years I began feeling really bad, no fever, just aches and feeling sick, tired, and just no energy. Then, in the first week of January, I noticed a small patch (about the size of a dime) of tiny blisters between my breasts. I thought I had been bitten by a tiny spider, perhaps, because I had been unpacking some boxes of things which had been stored in a rental storage building. I stuck a needle in one of the tiny blisters and a clear fluid came out. They did not itch, but it felt like someone was sticking a hot curling iron to me. Over the next several days to a week, more blisters appeared, some large, some small , under my right breast and right chest area and on the right side of my back. They stopped at my spine, and I didn’t have any on my right side. I called my doctor, as soon as I figured out what it was, and she prescribed a med for me, which she said would shorten the severity and length of time I had them, which it did. She also told me to use Calamine lotion to dry them up. It is the fluid inside that makes them contagious. The blisters never itched, but really burned, and it was very painful! Now, I have a horrible throbbing pain on my upper right chest, where there were no blisters. I am afraid I have internal shingles, now, as this pain is just about unbearable, I feel like, too, that I have a super tight wide elastic band all the way around me, especially on my right side, and it hurts to breathe at times. I am going to Atlanta tomorrow (today) to see my doctor, and hopefully, I can find out what it is and get some relief. I have been taking 2 Advil for this pain, when it gets unbearable, and it helps somewhat. My husband had prostate surgery last July, and I was told not to sleep with him for three months, because of the radioactive seeds they implanted to kill the cancer. However, after having been married for 49 years and away from him while he was in Vietnam for a year in 1970, I did not heed the warning, so my immune system might have been compromised by his radiation, and that could have caused the Shingles. I hope this has helped some of you. IF you have NOT had the vaccine, GET it ASAP, because I know someone who had it on the entire right side of his body, and he was out of commission for three months! I cannot imagine having a really bad case. Also, I have itching now, but I am numb feeling on my chest area, so if I rub or scratch, it doesn’t help, because I cannot feel the scratching or rubbing, but it does hurt at times.

Actually you can get shingles on both sides of your body. I had them all over my torso right and left side. I went to the doctor he told me they were not shingles because they only break out on one side and I told him they were shingles and that there are hundreds of documented cases of them breaking out on both sides so I asked him to do a biopsy of them and he called me several days later and said, yes they are shingles and he’s never seen anything like it.

Oh my I am so sorry for your loss. When I read this I thought to myself someone else just like me, it’s been 3yrs for me right after my accident no rash until this yr but it’s very small so the Dr just say ya ya shingles more antiviral. Well not this time I’m going back to ER Monday morning and demand they test me for Inter Shingles I have had pneumonia in the right lung ,all my issues are on the right side, Its ridiculous now I’m afraid ive given it to my mother not knowing I had it three yrs ago when she just finished her treatments for cancer…. I am 48 I lost my job had to quit school my life feels like it’s not right. I hope it’s not to late it’s been 3yrs. Please everyone let’s pray for one another.

First I would like to give you my condolences. No, you are not alone. I am 60 yrs old female and am experiencing the same exact symptoms and am not able to get any answers from the doctors. I had this same pain several years ago. I went to the emergency 3 times back then and they told my that I had internal shingles. They gave me morphene for the pain which I had taken every 4 hours for 3 months. I am now dealing with the same pain which is in my left side from my spine around my waist to under my rib cage. I seen 2 doctors and both said that they had never heard of internal shingles before. Wow, here I am reading how many people are affected by this. What I don’t understand is why the medical MD’s are not aware and that I have to serch the internet for my own diagnoses. I just had a back xray and chest xray along with a mrI and all come back negative for anything being wrong again, I am not heavy duty narcardoc drugs to ease the pain but, hate to be taking this because I don’t know what it is that I have. I have been using aloe vera gel mixed with peppermint essence oil to sort of numb the pain but, only last a short time. I have had to wake my husband up on numoures nights to rub this on my back so that I can get some relief from the pain. I have had this now for just over 2 weeks and it’s driving my crazy. I wish that i could get a diagnose of what this is for sure. Anyway, if you have any suggestions for me, let me know. Its is 3 in the morning now and still cannot lie down with the pain. Thanks

Posted 5/4/16. I was having back pain in the left flank–went to chiropractor and massage therapist with no improvement. After 7 days, the pain worsened and spread to the front, left upper quadrant of my abdomen. When the pain became so severe, I went to the emergency room. After 7 hours of agonizing waiting, they gave me morphine and admitted me to the hospital. There, I had 3 cat scans of various regions, pelvic ultrasounds, stomach and small intestine endoscopy, a dozen blood tests. The morphine made me nauseous, so on top of it all I was wrenching, dry heaves. When they took me off the morphine, no other pain killer worked, Tramadol, Percocet, etc. Finally, my doctor listened to my complaint of nerve pain and gave me a intravenous steroid, neurotin, and Valtrex and pain meds. He then concluded internal shingles as the diagnosis. The meds make me feel awful, unsteady, fuzzy headed, but have addressed the pain. Opioids for pain work best, but I’m not very tolerant of them. I just hope this is short-lived! It is an excruciating condition that left me begging for relief.

My symptoms present as low back pain generally on left side progressing as siatica and hip pain when walking. Next the lymph nodes on the inner aspect of the thigh go balistic. This along with fatigue progressing to profound fatigue.
I have other issues which cloud an early catch on the internal eruption of herpes.
I would suggest 2 things for you to start.
1. See your physician. A viral assay may tell you if you are still harboring childhood herpes virius issues like in my case the mono virus. Also talk with him about antiviral meds. Keep a supply on hand for outbreaks so you don’t have to wait for refills. Take as directed and for the full time as not to do this will make yhe next outbreak worse. Also talk about meds for discomfort if needed. Don’t be shy.
2. Keep a log for the following.
When symptoms start, how they present and at what stage you start meds. This will help you distinguise your herpes symptoms from anything else masking the issues.
Next, keep a log of the above and include what has been happening in your life up to two weeks of an outbreak. You do not need to get overly detailed, just identify stress event, etc.. Also note foods eaten including increased intake of sugar, milk/sugar combos, chocolate and other food triggers.

Keep up to date with what info is “out there” for the latest and greatest.

Have faith, you will get through this. With tracking and paying attention to symptoms, changes in your daily life and dietary triggers you CAN catch things early and minimize the impact of this disease process in your life.

I know this is a very late response however, perhaps my response here & now may help others who come across this site. (?!) I came down with internal shingles 3 years ago @ age 51. I am fortunate enough to have a very good/caring family physician and after running every test he could think of, all being negative, he finally told me this was internal shingles that was causing the SEVERE pain from within my body/back/chest/shoulder blades. It takes your breath away! :/

I am here to tell you that the severe pain/aching keeps one awake @ night and can move to other internal areas of the body causing the same havoc/symptoms. Loss of appetite, for me, internal, constant ‘gurgling’ from stomach/intestines, diarrhea… The pain is the worst that I’ve ever experienced and I happen to have a very high pain tolerance!

I am on this site today because I wanted to read up a little more on internal shingles because I have been dealing with terrible/unbearable mid-back pains for several weeks now with no apparent cause as to why this sort of pain is present. It occurred to me today that the internal shingles is back. I am bummed but, if it is any help to anyone else out there, heat helps reduce my pain somewhat and the good doctor prescribes Valtrex and that drug knocks this out ASAP!

Bad news is, it’s the weekend & his offices are closed so I must suffer this until Monday… :'(

I had a cousin, who had Shingles on his face and nose. He died in the hospital, because the virus found its way to his brain, and it killed him. Go see a doctor, if you come down with what you think might be Shingles. It can be dangerous!

I have e America pai. I also had blisters that only lasted a week or so. I found that young living oils helped greatly with the outer itching and burning. However, the internal pain in my lower pelvic region from front to back on my left side is sometimes quite debilitating. I’ve been on hydrocodone for it and it seems to take the ge off. Apparently this can go on for some time after the shingles are over. It’s called postherpatic neuralgia. Some days I cannot function, some days the medication helps me to make it through my job. It’s extremely painful and life changing. I’m going to follow up with a second opinion on how to handle the pain, not excluding acupuncture….I’m so sorry you’re in pain, don’t stop trying to find a physician that will help you…..

Be careful taking the narcotics, because you can get hooked on them, in a short amount of time. I was put on them in the hospital after having had two back surgeries in two days, was in the hospital for 8 days and a physical and occupational therapy rehab center for another 8 days, and I was on the them the entire time. When my internist told me to be careful taking them, I stopped cold turkey, and never have had another, and it was awful coming off them, and I was only on them for the time I was in the hospital and in the physical rehab facility. I cannot begin to imagine how one who continues to be hooked on them makes it. I had rather be in pain than take the narcotic meds, again.

For some of us, who have relentless stabbing pain, narcotics may be the only treatment along with Lyrica, neurontin and anti-virals. My advice is to see a knowledgeable doctor who listens carefully and manages the meds. Sleep and good nutrition are very important. A good support team of family and friends is helpful. If no one is around, find a support group online.

One thing I found to be helpful along with the meds, sleep and support of family and friends. is to lay on my hospital bed at home with legs elevated and head slightly elevated. It helps when pain in abdominal area makes it hard to breathe. I use ice gel packs off and on.

At night even with meds, sometimes the pain is too much. I use distractors such as using adult coloring books, online puzzles, easy to play games that you win easily and then I follow online Masses where I can hear parts of the Bible read and a good sermon. After this, I generally fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.

That said, internal shingles causes severe pain that goes on for days, weeks and months. Surround yourself with qualified, listening medical professionals, family, friends, medications, gentle exercise, and distractors. And ask God to help and walk with you. Sending my love, compassion, and prayers to all who suffer so greatly. May God comfort and heal you physically and spiritually.

The Dr. can give you a blood test for shingles. If they have not done this, please, do so. It could be the mesh. My husband had problems with a mesh. Some can be a problem. Some Drs. will not admit it. You may even be well by now. Hope so.

I realize I’m responding a year-and-a-half late, just now finding this post, but I’m curious to find out if you had anything done? It definitely sounds like shingles to me. You can have internal shingles and ever break out with a rash. I just found that out last night. For 2 weeks I have had severe sharp stabbing pain in my lower Left Flank and lower left back along with numbness from mid back to Mid front and nausea started yesterday. I had gone to my regular doctor who said muscle spasms, 4 days later went to the ER who said I was constipated, and four days after that I went to a different ER and that doctor diagnosed me with shingles.

My aunt had shingles three times. I’m just getting over my bout with shingles–I hope? Your Doctor should give you pain medication. I found Advil practically useless in my case. I didn’t ask the doctor for pain meds because it’s just not worth it. After all, we are all going to become addicts?

We have vilified opioids. I hope America doesn’t become a nation of Pain Sufferers? Actually, being free of pain should be a right? America has some soul searching to do?

I had no idea how terrible I feel with Shingles. I guess I’m like a lot of people, if you haven’t experienced it first hand, you don’t know just how terrible a malady can be.

Valtrix was prescribed for me to shorten the time and severity, and it worked. Use Calamine lotion to dry up the blisters. Get the vaccine, if you have not had it. I hate needles, but I did not feel the needle–it is small and only took a couple of seconds to get it. The Valtrix or Valtrax (?) is not addictive.

Right, I’ve never had this before now and always thought shingles must be awful! But it’s far beyond awful and I wish there was a really good pain med for it. My pain feels like someone plunging a kitchen knife into my left side and up under my ribs and into my lower left back. I never hollered this much with labor pains. Hope you’re doing better!

I have found it up be true that since I have the onset of Internal Shingles several years ago, that they last for about a month and then reoccur annually. Sometimes more if I overstress myself. Has anyone else had that experience?

Yes. What used to be every five years turned in to every year and now I have had an active case since December. I too am searching for answers and not coming up with any. I have done a hundred different things to help yet here I lay in pain, in tears and beyond frustrated. Internal shingles is something that I just learned about after 20 years of this. I am happy to talk to you about our common problem.

My doctor prescribes Valtrex for my internal shingles and this relieves pain/symptoms ASAP. He makes Rx for a re-fill and says that I
‘ll then have some held back on reserve if this rears it’s ugly hateful head again.

The bad news is, if internal shingles does not come around for several years again, the reserve medication is too old. I simply call doc to go see him for a new Rx.

I just finished three weeks of radiation and last week I began having severe burning feeling in my stomach and swelling in that area. Very painful but goes away. Lasts about one hour several times a day. My doctor thought shingles internal due to radiation(???). Began medicine yesterday.

So sick. Pain in right side is awful . I have a good tolterance to pain but this has me crying. Extensive blood work and urine tzst all is good. I have a lump on my right side got it over night about 6 months ago. The pain started shorty after althrough i dont think there is a connection. Every time i would go to mydoctor because of SLE lupus my doctor would tell me i must get the shingle vaccine so he scared me into getting it . I never thought the pain in my. Side was internal shingles. So finally i went and got it. I went into terrific painin. Same side that went all the way into my face ,ear ,gland . It feels like a stick neck down my side and around to my spine . I got a fever nausea ,diarrhea awful pain in my side i cant move or cough . After reading ALOT i have figured out i have internal shingles made worst by the shot . My SLE lupus is in line and i have done that knowing my boby and certain vitamins. Now with reading about shingles i am starting some vitamins to help with this awful awful pain ! God help me . I read to much tomorrow im going to go to the doctors.im afraid of some for the other problems tat can occur. Hopeful he may be able to help.

Help…I think I have shingles for the second time??? I called the DR.. he said, No! But, Put me on VALACYCLOVIR HCL 1 Gram 3 times a day.. I have been on it for only two days now…I have such burning pain under my rib cage in my back but no blisters yet?? I am ready to climb the walls with this stabbing and burning pain(?) Could it be something other than shingles???
Not having any breathing problems but have balance issues. By the way I am 67 years young and have had several kidney stones and last November had a reimplant of my left ureter into my bladder. This was due to other procedures where they put clips on my ureter due to stone interventions.
I don’t think this has anything to do with my.current situation but I thought I would mention it…
I am open to any suggestions….Thanks!!!!

Sounds a lot like my signs symptoms which are shingles, possibly just internal shingles. The antiviral that you’re taking can make you dizzy. Hope this helps. And I hope you’re feeling a lot better! Sounds like you really been through the mill. Take care

I apply blue pain relieving gel (mineral gel) where I have my internal shingles on my left side. It gives a half-hour to an hr of pain relief until I can take more pain meds. I been having this pain since Feb and me and my doctor’s are still trying to get it under control. Good luck to all please email me if you have any better solutions. It is really starting to affect my quality of life because I’m in pain all the time. My email is: helenexo25@gmail.com

All of this is very familiar I have been suffering on and off for a year and a half now Consistently for the last 7 weeks getting worse not better Never had a rash but have all other symptoms Always stress induced Antivirals not working anymore All kinds of tests show nothing But finally had a vzv test at ER visit Antibodies are double to triple normal My GP brushes me off and last week his office staff belittled me for requesting more pain meds Made me wait 2 extra days I hope one day they experience this type of pain KARMA!!! I I am so tired haven’t slept in 5 days I am miserable No one even wants to be around me and no one believes me since there is basically no diagnosis I can take a lot of pain but this is unbearable leaves me in tears Nothing helps very long pills creams patches ice heat I have never written anything on the Internet before and don’t even do FB I am a very private person But I felt compelled to share if my story helps just one person to realize they are not crazy Tomorrow I will try to find an infectious disease doctor I will not stop until I get confirmation of my illness

Dee, I am in your corner and I have experienced all of this also. Please find a doctor who cares about you and not the bottom line. (IE. More patients run through in one day = More MONEY!)

Internal shingles is not very common or at least, that seemed to be the case approx. 3 yrs. ago. It is very difficult to diagnose, however, there is that process of elimation that all docs must do first to get to that diagnosis. Seems to me that internal shingles is finally being more talked about and reconized by all these days.

Opioids, etc. are NOT my line of defense as I too feel repelled by pharmaceutical poisons at all cost however, there are times when those poisions must be taken. Valtrex prescribed my my family physician knocks this out and works wonders for me.

Good luck. I too do NOT do FB, Twitter, Social media, etc. however, I do look and utilize these kind of sites.

I developed shingles 2 days after having catarack surgery on my right eye to the right side of my head May 3 2016.
By the time it was diagnosed by my doctor it was to late (72 hrs.) to take medication to stop the shingles .
By August 1 2016 I felt like I was going backwards and the shingles felt like they were starting to go internal
With a sore right side neck gland and ear ache and other internal pains.
This is when I discovered reference of using Olive Leaf Extract to cure the shingles .
After three days of taking Olive Leaf Extract in capsule form,my shingles had for the most part vanished.
14 weeks of unbearable head pain and no sleep were such a relief once the OLE had cured the shingles.
This stuff works.
Now one week after taking OLE , life has pretty much returned to normal for me

I’m here to testify about the great work perfecthealthherbalmedcinehome,run by Dr sithuu . I have been suffering from COPD,and my mother diagnosed with herpes disease for the past 5 years,I had faith in God that me and my mother would be cured someday.me and my mother have been taking treatment from my doctor spending a lot of money just to stay alive , few weeks ago i came across a testimony of one lady on the internet testifying about a herbal home called perfecthealthherbalmedicinehome,run by dr sithuu, on how he cured her from Parkinson virus. And she also gave the email address of the herbal home and advise anybody to contact for help for any kind of diseases , so I emailed them,they replied and told me not to worry that me and my mom will be cured!! Well i never believed it,,but i was so desperate,so i purchased the herbal medicine, well after used as prescribed, few weeks later i started experiencing changes,after 30days i went to my doctor to confirmed if am finally cured behold it was TRUE,me and my mother was totally cured , So friends my advise is if you have such disease or any other at all you can contact them via email: perfecthealthherbalmedicine(AT)gmail(DOT)com or website www(DOT)perfecthealthherbal(DOT)weebly(DOT)com

I went to this website. All of the testimonials are written exactly the same with different names. They claim to cure everything from Parkinson’s to cancer. They all write their I’s with a lower cap i just like the email above, the testimonials all sound the same but with a testimony of curing different illnesses. The email above was written by the same person or people. I am sure they wrote the above email to get you to go to their site. They do not know how to use proper grammar, just like the email above. This is a potential scam I am certain. Buyer beware.

I had shingles for three week. my ear, scalp, eyebrow (not in eye) , mouth, nose and 2 on my neck. Third week I got what dr’s called bronchitis, major breathing problems, need inhaler and antibiotics, did not go way could not breath well, finally went to different dr, he thought not only lungs but possibly my heart valves, tests, mild COPD, not heart prob, still trouble breathing and coughing so bad I would vomit and black out twice. Not having a family Dr went to different dr and each would change meds and nothing worked, I was so bad my family would tell me take your inhaler your lips are blue, yet supposedly my lungs do not inflate or deflate fully, yet they now send my to a respirologist that wants to do more testing. All this from Shingles, our drs don’t want to acknowledge. They tried me on a new inhaler INCRUSE taken once a day and I am starting to feel somewhat better. I feel they have started to patient profile me because they don’t want to acknowledge that maybe the answer ti Shingles. I need an answer and not some tests that are going to undo other surgeries. I feel so alone and that no dr in bc wants to address this. This is not in my head, I have been a good patient in the past and find this distressing.

I have had the virus in my inner ear and a little on the right side of my face, the pain has calmed down but the right side of my face is nearly completely paralyzed. Will this eventually go away? If so what time frame can I expect

Hello, it sounds like you have the complication of Ramsey hunt syndrome. The first time I had shingles was after I had thyroid cancer it was inside my head I also had the complication of Ramsey hunt syndrome (where the side of your face drops like bells palsy and I couldn’t close my eye) you need to mention this to your dr as it is rare and not many dr’s have come across this. You need to be sent to ent at you local hospital to be treated.

Good luck, That was approx 7 years ago and after huge doses of steroids and facial massage for what seemed like a lifetime my face is back to normal. I am just going through internal shingles in my head for the second time now with a lot of frustration. I am so so bored and tired of being ill, as I have no thyroid now am very lucky and thankful to be alive but life without a thyroid has it’s challenges.

I have a tip for anyone who breaks out with shingles. This worked for my mother and for me. If you can catch it when it is just starting as a rash you can prevent yourself from getting the blisters by just using a cotton ball and putting on apple cider vinegar. I used the Bragg brand because I think it’s the best and it has the mother in it. It is amazing how well it worked. If you already have blisters when you see this, you can still use the apple cider vinegar and it will dry them up quickly. If it hurts when you put the vinegar on them, don’t worry the pain will stop very quickly.

If you have had shingles in past 5 years DO NOT HAVE VACCINE. Shingles are from your own past chickenpox, the vaccine is giving you a foreign herpes virus making you now have to fight off 2 versions of shingles.

I have had shingles in same place on lower back 4 times. Each time I ended up in an ER for severe pain under my right ribs. Had cat scans and no one knew what it was from. I also had intestinal problems, constipation or diarrhea and cramping. I have had a cough for years, feels like an itch in my lungs – I suspect this is also Internal Shingles.
My recent bout was treated with anti-viral and Gabapentin at 100mg (normal dose is 1000mg). I think the gaba helped with the pain and pressure under my ribs, as if something inside of me is pushing out on my ribs. I was itching all over my back and also developed hives.

Hot bath helps, I dried blisters with salve and have no pain relief aside from medical marijuana which does help. I can not tolerate opioids or codiene.

I don’t think most doctors re aware of Internal Shingles – I am here because someone posted on a board about “All Body Shingles”. Stress releases toxic chemicals and triggers me usually each December. This year was horribly difficult and now back to suffering.
My heart goes out to everyone here suffering. I am going to get Olive Leaf Extract in morning and try that.

I have a diagnosis in my early 20’s with shingles. I was under a lot of stress as my first born child had a heart defect and was clinging to life for the first year of life. Most of this year was a total blur. I was seen by a doctor in the same hospital and said that my immune system was probably compromised from lack of sleep and inadequate nutrition. Ever since that outbreak, I have had reoccring outbreaks of the same painful blistering rash accompanied by sever headaches, 2 – 6 times per year. The rash would always start near my spine and travel along the nerve. Usually down my leg, but also around my torso and down my arm. I have come to take the signs of early outbreaks very seriously because early treatment with acycloviar would halt the spreading and limit the discomfort. Because I did not know where it was coming out next, Sometimes I would not catch it in time and found this virus to cause debilitating pain that would last for up to 6 months. These outbreaks would always come after extremely stressful events or a bad cold or flu.
More recently, I had a a respiratory virus that turned bacterial. I was given antibiotics. I waited and looked for the shingles virus to rear it’s ugly head, but I did not notice and tingling or skin blisters. I am currently experiencing short breath, crushing and sharp chest pain in my right lung. No cough, no fever, and my doctor could find nothing wrong with any my tests. This has been ongoing for 5 months. CT scan w/o contrast showed an increase of scarring in my right lung in the same location of my pain. I have an appt with Mayo clinic soon. I hear they know much about shingles and IPF. It is my hope to drop the I from the IPF and stop the progression of this lung scarring.
I asked the doctors if I could get shingles inside my lungs and every one of them said no and that it is not possible. Frustrating, so very frustrating.

HI all so many stories. My heart goes out to all of you and though I have not had shingles myself, my Mother is dealing with them right now and is in the hospital. She has shingles in her mouth and ear. She was not diagnosed quickly and did not get on the meds until 4 days into it. Her ear drum burst and she will likely lose some hearing. This is her third week in the hospital and they “say” the shingles have healed but she can barely eat and is throwing up clear bile regularly that is keeping her very weak. She has lost a lot of weight and the doctors say they don’t know why she is still having problems eating and don’t know why she is still throwing up. Have any of you experienced this?

I live in the U.K., and was diagnosed with shingles, a week and a half ago, rash just on one arm, just itching, but have felt terrible, flu like symptoms, headaches, nausea, severe weakness, by the time doctor diagnosed it it was too late for antiviral, he said they should be given within 72 hours, now I have horrible pains in stomach, gas it feels a burning pain, feel very sick, wonder if it is internal, or just part of it, don,t want to eat, has anyone else had this,? Please let me know as very worried.

Was diagnosed with shingle week and a half ago, rash on one arm, very itchy, felt very ill, since then, doc did,nt give me antiviral pills aid it was too late should have them within 72 hours, I feel as though I have got flu, headaches, exhaustion, nausea, now got awful pain in my stomach, feels like it’s burning, gas can,t eat, does anyone think it could be internal shingles? Never been so sick. Help

Yes, I am experiencing these same symptoms right now. I get shingles frequently. I know it is stress related. The first time I got them the doctor gave me Valtex but I got a massive migraine headache from it and he told me to stop taking it. So that option is out. I will tell you what I do to control them, as of now there is no known cure. I have had both external shingles and internal. Take 2000 mg of L-Lysine, it is an amino acid, a day. After your shingles subside you should take 1000 mg a day for the rest of your life to help prevent them from coming back. Take Olive Leaf extract. Reduce this amount after shingles subside but this supplement is good to take the rest of your life, it is an anti viral. At least 2000 mg Vit C a day. I buy high quality powdered and mix in water and take at night. Non-GMO Lecithin Granules 1 to 2 Tablespoons mixed in food, like yogurt, etc. a day. Another herb you can take to strengthen your immune system is Echinacea. Take a natural multi-vitamin every day and supplement with a mega dose B-vitamin complex. Take Vit D too. Fun, huh. I know it seems like a lot but when I break out it makes it less severe and go away a lot faster. Eat healthy, very little white sugar and white flour. No doctors have been able to help me so I learned to help myself. It’s sometimes hard to do all this but the alternative, shingles, is worse.
I exercise regularly too and do not eat a lot of meat that is why it is important to take L-Lysine. Your ratio of this amino acid can get low when you do not eat a lot of meat. But I feel so much better not eating a lot of meat and I think it is healthier. I am also a religious person, so prayer to my Heavenly Father is probably the biggest help.

Thank you for your comment Jane, I appreciate your input, I don,t eat a lot of meat, I don,t know if I can have Lysine, as I am on Warfarin for life, and other Medicines, I know I can,t have echinacea, not sure about olive leaf either there are so many things I can,t have, and very sensitive to many things, at the moment my stomach is dreadful, wind pain and nausea, feel like a truck has hit me, all I seem to do is sleep but do drink a lot of water, probably have to go to the doctors after Easter, as it is not letting up, I do have B vitamins, and will start taking vitamin C, I do have ginger herbal tea, although not loads because of warfarin, yes I am religious too, and pray every day this awful illness will go away, do hope you feel better soon, I did have shingles 4 years ago, but this lot started after I had a virus.

I suspect my mom has internal shingles affecting the nerves. She experiences burning pain, initially it was on the left flank. She went to several doctors and no diagnosis was made until the pain disappeared. Now its severe headaches, burning pain on the head. She says its as if someone is pouring hot water on the head. CT scan was done and it is normal. The pain persists with numbness. Could she have internal shingles. Please help

I have ocular shingles for the third time. The first time it was my right eye. As soon as I reached age 60 I had the shingles vaccination. I’m 62 now and I’ve had ocular shingles twice this year (2017). One was during the spring, it was my left eye that time. Now it’s in my right eye again but the patch of blisters is on the left side of my neck. I have antiviral tablets and eyedrops on hand and began taking them as soon as I realized it’s shingles again. The tablet I took last night reduced the haze but it isn’t completely gone yet. All three times I’ve had ocular shingles I became symptomatic during weekends, this time it’s Labor Day weekend. I digress. This morning when I got out of bed I felt a sharp pain on my right side, waist high, then it became an ache. Best case scenario it’s a muscle sprain but there are a number of ailments that could cause it: appendicitis, kidney and liver to name a few. Also on the list of possible causes is shingles. The pain and my stricken eye are on my left side. That’s quite a coincidence and the shingles on the left side of my neck are a mystery. I don’t want to go to the ER again but my docs won’t be in their offices until Tuesday. Just shoot me now.

Hi I have been having many of the symptoms that are shared here most the majority of folks I have extreme pain under my rib cage in an area that’s isolated about as big as a softball it burns like nobody’s business and it also kind of feels like somebody just slugged me in the gut. My primary doctor at first I thought that it was shingles and gave me gabapentin for the pain I was in the ER and they thought that possibly it was a pulled muscle. And then I was in the ER again and now they thought it was shingles again so they gave me the antiviral medicine a few hydrocodone for the pain and I went back to my regular doctorAnd told him that the gabapentin was not working and he basically said I don’t know what this is and I am not giving you anything else for pain. I asked for my medical records got copies of everything and left I will no longer be seeing him by the way his name is Dr. Chadalawada And he practices in the St. Louis area so if you ever are here and need a doctor please do not go see him. I got another doctor at St. John’s Mercy and he tends to think that it is shingles and he gave me Lyrica and Aceteaminaphen then with codeine for the pain .I found a life lidocaine topical at Walgreens that seems to work good for the burning I was able to get a lidocaine patch that I can wear 12 on 12 off that seems to help also when I sleep but for now I just struggle with the pain it has been six going on seven weeks now and by the way no severe rash to speak of I have lost my faith in the medical doctors.

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE 2 CURE
I am from USA i was diagnosed with HSV TPYE 2 while I was pregnant .I cried for days. I was devastated and looking up info on it just made it worse. I don’t know how long I have had it for. I don’t know if my partner has it or if he was the one who transferred it to me. I had one outbreak while pregnant. That’s how I found out I had the virus. I started taking and antiviral and took it everyday twice a day to make sure I wasn’t able to get an outbreak. I debated whether I wanted to have my daughter natural or c- section. I was terrified. Stress wasn’t helping my situation. I ended up having her natural and she is a beautiful healthy 2 month old baby girl. I try not to think about me having the virus because of my depression i couldn’t. so I have to focus more on how to get rid of HSV TPYE 2 because i don’t want anything to happen to my daughter and thank God she was born fine. i visited different hospital but they gave me list of drugs like acyclovir, Zovirax, and (valacyclovir)Valtrex without without get rid of my virus.